Why does everyone hate Connected Components Workbench?

Why does everyone hate Connected Components Workbench?


Are there legitimate reasons or is it just because most controls engineers are Luddites and terrified of change?


It has UDT/Structs, User-defined Function Block and User-defined Functions, and it has Tag Base addressing rather than requiring you to define addresses for things when you don't always need too.


Micrologix / RS 500 has none of this which makes it a mess to program complex and repetitive procedures/tasks



The UI of CCW seems a little clunky but I will take clunky of lack of modern features any day of the week.

theColonel26 said:

most controls engineers are Luddites and terrified of change?

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Pretty much this for me. I use mostly AB hardware because I'm familiar and efficient with programming them. If I'm going to have to learn a completely new programming interface (CCW), why would I bother sticking with AB when there's a dozen other low cost PLCs out there, plenty of which are cheaper?

rupej said:

Pretty much this for me. I use mostly AB hardware because I'm familiar and efficient with programming them. If I'm going to have to learn a completely new programming interface (CCW), why would I bother sticking with AB when there's a dozen other low cost PLCs out there, plenty of which are cheaper?

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Yes I would perfer to use other Brands, however customer acceptance is always an issue. They always want Allen Bradley but if I had to choose between using RS 500 and using CCW so far I would perfer CCW, I've only just started playing with CCW but so far I like it alot though it's UI could use a little work mostly just with registering mouse clicks etc.

theColonel26 said:

It has UDT/Structs, User-defined Function Block and User-defined Functions, and it has Tag Base addressing rather than requiring you to define addresses for things when you don't always need too.

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It is a mandatory step to be more in accordance with IEC-61131

lfe said:

It is a mandatory step to be more in accordance with IEC-61131

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I love IEC-61131, but it has been around for decades (right?) why does AB just now care about it?

I really like CCW.

For small machines or process, they are great. The HMI development is kind of rough, but that's only if you comparing it to something a little more purpose driven. As a "Do ALL" software, its good.

the displays are rated general purpose, not class 1, div 2 / 2 div 2 as required everywhere I work. it is also our standard as is most of our customers.

james

theColonel26 said:

Are there legitimate reasons or is it just because most controls engineers are Luddites and terrified of change?

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First I dont hate it... well unless Windows does a update and it will not work, other than that I like it.

I have just about every PLC made and the software because I have to support them for my customers and in comparison its good, the later versions, the first couple sucked but its much better now, but I would say that goes for any version of software right?, until users start using it... you dont know what you dont know.

geniusintraining said:

First I dont hate it... well unless Windows does a update and it will not work,

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I almost forgot about that "feature". I sure hope that doesn't happen again!

theColonel26 said:

I love IEC-61131, but it has been around for decades (right?) why does AB just now care about it?

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They are trying to compete with all of the low end offerings - so the hardware & software were probably based on the same stuff everyone else uses, which would include the IEC standard by default.


My experience with CCW (I think 2 years ago) was not good - it was buggy and slow to download so efficiency went to ****. It reminded me of a 1500 where you spent more time watching a progress bar than actually working.
I'm sure they worked out a lot of bugs, but it didn't do itself any favors to have me use it any more than I had to. Since then I've opted to continue using the 1100 as it's more of a proven platform to feed the AB zombies.

Isn't the advanced features (UDTs, user functions, user function blocks) only in the paid version of the software? What is the price for the paid version?

g.mccormick said:

What is the price for the paid version?

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About 400 PN 9328-CCWDEVENE

I wish the panelview portion of the software had a test feature. The simulator in the controller section is decent but there isn't any way to test you PV project as far as I can tell (without downloading it to the panel).

I'm steering away from CCW both because of the hardware and the software.
We've mostly used the Micro820 and 810. Have had multiple problems with the Micro 820 faulting with an 0xF000 fault. This has happened in several applications. One specifically is a 'cookie cutter' panel and program. Some PLCs have had multiple faults while others work fine. Over the course of the last couple years we've finally ran out of patience with the product line. I've used multiple brand PLCs for years. To date this is the only product line I've encountered that would randomly fault the processor. It's inexcusable.
And the software... the features are all right but it's painfully slow and clunky to use.

I’ll opine. The first time I used CCW was for PowerFlex drives around version 6 or 7, after DriveExplorer was dropped. It was a huge all encompassing time and space waster for the small function I wanted and seemed to spread tentacles throughout the computer. I called it the iTunes of Automation.

Last year I started using CCW11 for PanelView 800's. I genuinely like this combination. It’s not as feature packed as FTView but it’s far more friendly to use. It’s a great system for a simple HMI where Rockwell will let you use it. It’s very disappointing to me that I can’t use it with Logix 5000 series except a few Compact models we don’t have.

A couple weeks ago I got a Micro 810 & 820 to try out. CCW11 seems fine for these. It’s different from 5/500/5000 and takes some getting used to but I’m liking the Micro 800 line and have some uses for them.

I haven’t installed V12 yet. CCW is still huge but it’s far more tolerable with newer computer hardware.